Camus launches Sidecar cocktail kit

Family-owned Cognac house Camus has launched a limited edition cocktail kit giving mixology lovers the chance to create classic Cognac cocktail the Sidecar at home.

The Camus Sidecar Kit contains a 700ml bottle of Camus Very Special, a 350ml bottle of De Kuyper Triple Sec, a cocktail shaker, a lemon and a recipe booklet.

The cocktail demands an aromatic Cognac, which is why the kit includes Camus’ Very Special expression, which offers “rich fruit notes”.

One of the best known and most celebrated Cognac cocktails in existence; the origins of the Sidecar are disputed, though it is thought to have been invented at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in 1919 by bartender Harry MacElhone.

The cocktail is said to have been christened the sidecar after an American army captain who was driven to Harry’s Bar in a sidecar and became a fan of the citrus infused drink.

MacElhone included a recipe for the Sidecar in his 1922 tome Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails, listing it as having equal parts of Cognac, triple sec and lemon juice.

In the book, MacElhone cites the Sidecar’s inventor as Pat MacGarry of Buck’s Club in London, but in later editions claims himself as its creator.

To make the Sidecar, Camus recommends using a well-chilled glass and good-quality ice. Made from recyclable cardboard, the kit contains enough spirit to shake up 14 Sidecars. The Camus Sidecar Kit will be available to buy online from Camus’ website on 5 November, priced at €59.